Riccarton nod for C.U.C. budget

Press, 17 March 1987, Page 7

Riccarton nod for C.U.C. budget

In spite of some disagreement over the necessity of certain committees, the Riccarton Borough Council has approved the Canterbury United Council’s proposed 1987-88 budget. Councillors at yesterday’s finance meeting were told Riccarton’s portion would be $6397, a 28 per cent increase on last year’s levy. (This did not include the Urban Transport levy which depends on the still-undetermined Christchurch Transport Board rates.) As a percentage of this year’s total borough rates, the increase would be 3 per cent.

The debate over committees began when Cr Gerald Hunt, who is not a committee member but has speaking rights, recommended the council cut its Canterbury Promotion Council levy and

refuse to pay the air pollution levy.

He also advocated refusing to pay the resource centre levy, “a gross waste of money,” until it was pointed out that the centre was not asking for local body funding this year.

Cr Hunt said the air pollution committee was no longer needed and the Promotion Council had become used to a larger budget since it had become part of the United Council. The Promotion Council was now overstaffed and no longer directly accountable to individual councils, he said.

But the Mayor of Riccarton, Mr Richard Harrington, said the United Council was only acting as a collecting agency for a body which otherwise would probably not get local body funding.

A member of the Promotion Council, Mr Harrington said tourism was the greatest growth industry in Canterbury and the council had been proven successful.

Although the Promotion Council was asking Riccarton for an additional 22 per cent, it was actively trying to fulfil its promise to increase its funding from the industry. Cr John Warren supported the air pollution committee, saying that although air pollution had been reduced, it still needed to be monitored and the eight-year Clean Air programme to be completed. Some savings might be made if the committee were to go into recess until the eight years was up but generally, the council should be trying to reduce the whole budget rather than attacking

one small part of it. Cr Pat Marriner agreed, saying the council had done that by objecting to amalgamation and in the meantime, had to accept United Council levies as a “responsibility.” The committee agreed to the budget, subject to clarification on the borough’s population which, according to the latest census, had increased from 6320 to 7227. Cr Marriner said the increase, which was partly responsible for the heavier levy, could have been boosted by tourists or other non-residents staying in Riccarton on census night. Museum levy

Riccarton ratepayers may also pay 24 per cent more for the Canterbury Museum this year. The finance committee

recommended the requested $26,472 levy be accepted. This is 2.4 per cent of the present borough rates. Merger While the Riccarton Borough Council may oppose a one-city Christchurch, its finance committee does approve of one amalgamation. It supported in principal the merging of the New Zealand Counties and Municipal Local Authority Associations. Cr Gerald Hunt was concerned the amalgamation might not address the differing needs of town and country. But the Town Clerk, Mr John Skinner, said both associations were basically doing the same job and he felt any disadvantages would probably prove “more imaginary than real.”